Interest Tests and Desire Tests

Desires or Interest Tests, also called Motivational Tests, are referred to as career tests.  They are designed to help you identify careers or jobs that might appeal to you. Think of this as more of a thought-organizing tool than a career test.

In these assessments, you might be asked to select the job task you find more interesting (pet sitting or accounting, for example). You might be shown pictures of different career objects or career professionals and then asked to choose the one you like best. There is no wrong answer.

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Example Question: Select the career picture you like best.

Appropriate Test Taker

These assessments are often a good starting place for younger people seeking to generate ideas about which careers might interest them so they can do further research and exploration. They will not tell you, however, if these jobs are a good fit for you, nor help you differentiate why these jobs appeal to you.

Did you choose the picture of the diver because your father was a professional diver?  Yet, you may not have the desire to be a diver. Or, perhaps you chose the diver because you want to be a diver like your father. 
 

Strength

This assessment may help you organize your thoughts and desires. They are often free.

Self-Discovery: This assessment may help you identify your passions, hobbies, and interests, some of which you might not have consciously recognized before. This could be a starting point for learning about the variety of jobs and careers that are out there.

Confidence Building: It may reaffirm your self-perceived strengths and interests, which could boost your confidence and self-esteem.
 

Weakness

There is no connection between the career picture you choose and your personality strength.

There is no scientific standard for this type of test.

Broad Interpretations: An assessment may categorize interests and skills broadly.  This can overlook the nuanced differences within career paths.  For example, an assessment may suggest a career in healthcare, but this can range from a surgeon to a health data analyst.

Overemphasis on Interests: Some assessments may overemphasize the role of interest and underemphasize the importance of other factors that contribute to job satisfaction and career success, such as skills, work environment, job market, financial considerations, etc.
 

Examples

Many school and college career counseling offices have a range of such assessments aimed at guiding students in the crucial phase of career planning. Given the prevalence of numerous unverified versions online, it is wise to engage with these interest or desires tests under the astute guidance of a trained career counselor.

Among these assessments, the Holland Code (RIASEC) Test categorizes users into six personality types—Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional—attempting to pinpoint compatible career paths based on the user's reported desires. Here are more details about the Holland Code Test.
 

Comparison

Desires or Interest Tests | aka Motivational vs. The Career Assessment Test by CareerFitter

While the Desires or Interest Tests are helpful for observing careers or tasks that interest you or that you respond to positively, another tool is the CareerFitter assessment.

Although not traditionally categorized as an interest test, it offers a secondary Aptitude Aversions Assessment. This hybrid assessment allows users to identify specific job characteristics they might find incompatible or undesirable, such as working with animals or enduring the demands of high-stress environments like an Emergency Room. The insights are instrumental in tailoring one’s career path to align with one's personality at work, desires, and even constraints.

Moreover, this career assessment test goes a step further by comparing the examinee's test results against the required characteristics of over 1000 careers and jobs. This enables an examinee to see which careers align most closely with their natural characteristics and personality traits, and it illuminates any conflicts exposed by the aptitude aversion assessment.

The outcome of this comparison is quantified as a ‘FIT Score’ for each career, serving as a tangible metric to better guide individuals in their career exploration and decision-making processes.